Recipe: Brioche

Brioche
Rec.food.cuisine.jewish/Lita Lotzkar (1998)

I cut this recipe from the New York Times because it interested me to the extent that "I" am going to try to make them myself - which is quite unheard of in this house. I hope you all enjoy them. - Lita

by Kinderlehrer, author of Cooking Kosher the New Way
Makes 2 dozen

These (dairy) French Rolls, first cousins to croissants, contribute a touch of class and a heavenly fragrance. Crunchy on the outside, light as a cloud on the inside, they're a breeze to make and can be made as much as a week ahead of time and refrigerated or made part way and refrigerated overnight.

3 to 4 cups whole wheat bread flour (not pastry flour)
1/2 tsp salt (optional)
1 package or 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup Better Butter (1/2 butter, 1/2 oil blended together)
3 eggs (at room temperature)
1 egg yolk
1 egg white slightly beaten
2 Tablespoons sunflower or sesame seeds

Note: If you keep your flour in the freezer, as I do, warm it to room temperature, either by placing it in a conventional oven at 200* for 10 to 15 minutes, or by microwaving, uncovered for 30 seconds on full power

In a large mixing bowl, mix together 1 cup of the warmed flour, the salt if you're using it, and the dissolved yeast.

In a saucepan, combine the milk, water and butter and heat over low heat until liquids are very warm (120* to 130*F) Butter does not have to melt. Add this mixture gradually to the dry ingredients and beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping the bowl occasionally. Stir in enough additional flour to make a stiff batter.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean tea towel and let rise in a warm place until it more than doubles in bulk - about 2 hours. Stir the batter down and beat for 2 minutes.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight.

Punch dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured board. Set aside about 1/4 of the dough. Cut the larger piece into 24 equal pieces. Form each piece into a smooth ball and place in large well-greased muffin tins. Cut the small piece into 24 equal parts. Form into small balls.

With a moistened finger, make a deep indentation in center of each large ball. Press a small ball into each indentation. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

Bake at 250F for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in pans for 25 minutes. Remove from pans and place on wire rack to cool thoroughly. Wrap tightly in plastic bags and refrigerate up to 1 week.

To brown the Brioche for your Breakfast or Brunch, place as many as you need in greased muffin tins. Brush them with slightly beaten egg white. Top with sunflower or sesame seeds and bake at 350F for 12 minutes or until nicely browned. Remove from muffin tins and cool on wire rack, or serve hot. Any left over browned brioche can be reheated in the toaster oven.